The present invention relates in general to intelligent voice response systems accessed from touch tone telephones, and, more specifically, to an improved user interface to intelligent voice response systems.
Intelligent voice response (IVR) systems provide automated telephone services for receiving incoming telephone calls, playing prerecorded messages and menu prompts, collecting touch tones input by a caller, and executing corresponding computer network actions. IVR technology has been employed in many applications including remote banking, ordering of goods and services (e.g., pay-per-view cable programs), and accessing information from electronic databases (e.g., computer system help topics). The user typically navigates through a multi-level, hierarchical menu by pressing appropriate digits on a touch tone keypad in response to prompts spoken by the IVR system.
IVR systems provide many advantages over other automated access systems such as the Internet. An IVR system provides a totally private and secure interconnection. Furthermore, the only equipment required for the caller is the telephone device itself. Therefore, a desired service can be accessed when no computer network is available.
An IVR unit will typically accept the input of a tone during its reproduction of the current voice prompt, so that a caller can make a selection as soon as it is identified (i.e.; without waiting for the prompt to finish). Unless callers have accessed a particular IVR-based service many times, however, they usually cannot anticipate the current group of choices at any point within a multi-level menu. Therefore, they usually end up listening to all or most of the menu prompts before making their next selection. Depending upon the number of menu levels and the number of choices available at each level, it can take a substantial amount of time to obtain a desired action. Furthermore, if an incorrect choice is made while navigating the menu, it may take several additional steps to back up and return to the point where the mistake was made.
The resulting inefficiency of the typical IVR interface can lead to annoyance and frustration of the caller and increased load on (and increased cost of) the IVR equipment. In an attempt to minimize the time required to navigate a particular menu, voice prompts must be kept as short and concise as possible. However, the resulting prompts can become harder to comprehend. Fuller explanations of menu choices are typically not given because they would require additional complexity within the menu system.